Evidence is pointing toward arson as the cause of a Nov. 25 fire that forced the Northeast Times to close its main office in Trevose, but investigators are still hunting for clues to identify those responsible for the blaze.

If the cold-blooded slaughter on Friday of 20 innocent, darling, precious little schoolchildren in Connecticut has not made you a little less cheerful or caused you to shed some tears this holiday season, you cannot possibly have a heart.As folks throughout the nation continue to grieve with the families of the murdered little boys and girls and seven adults who were cut down by a madman with weapons, a glimmer of hope seems to be rising from America’s crushed heart.It’s the stark realization that this atrocity can, must and will be different from all of the others before it and will be the catalyst for authentic action in Washington, D.C. and state capitals throughout America.“We must come together to move our nation towards common sense, responsible gun laws — laws that recognize the responsibility of gun ownership, and ensure safety and security in our homes, schools, communities, and public spaces,” congresswoman Allyson Schwartz told her colleagues on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday. Amen!In a statement on Tuesday, the National Rifle Association of America claimed to be “shocked, saddened and heartbroken” by the massacre and said it was prepared to offer “meaningful contributions” to prevent similar attacks.Now it’s put-up-or-shut-up time for the NRA and the plethora of politicians in Congress and state legislatures who are in the NRA’s back pocket.Are they going to support the status quo, or are they going to enact real gun control — beginning with banning the sale of assault rifles to the general public?In other words, will the gun nuts and the politicians try to do business as usual, or will they be Americans?Send letters to the editor to: pronews@bsmphilly.com

Twenty-five volunteers worked off some Thanksgiving calories during the monthly Friends of Pennypack Park cleanup day on Saturday, Nov. 24. Participants removed 39 bags of debris from the park in the area of Rhawn Street and Lexington Avenue.